Maze feat. Frankie Beverly [2024] - Somebody Else's Arms / Love Is [Jai Alai #JAR13]

The UK's love affair with Frankie Beverly goes way back to his 60s Philadelphia recordings as the lead man of Frankie Beverly & The Butlers and one elusive recording in particular revered on the Northern Soul scene, "If That's What You Wanted".

We won't wax lyrical about Frankie Beverly & Maze as we did a Frankie Beverly Profile in 2022 to celebrate his 76th birthday and a Maze Feat. Frankie Beverly - The Best Of... in 2020.

Beverly announced his retirement this year with a farewell tour (which commenced at the end of March) but the members of Maze continue under the name TMF The Music Forever who, in case you somehow missed it, have just released their debut album "The Music Forever, Vol. 1".

Soul4Real has paired two tracks from their last two albums for release on 7" vinyl for their Jai Alai imprint. "Somebody Else's Arms" from "Silky Soul" (1989) along with the "Love is" from the "Back To Basics" (1993).

Available now from Soul4Real website.

Click on image below for link to where you can buy from.

Details

Rating:	8.6
Explicit:	N
Genre/Style:	Modern Soul
Format:	Single
Media:	7" Vinyl
Label:	Jai Alai
Cat No:	JAR13
Date:	17/04/2024
Key/BPM:	8B/86 / 10B/92
Price:	€14

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Maze Feat. Frankie Beverly [1993] - Back To Basics [Warner Bros. #9 45297-2] (Full Album)

The last studio album recorded by the legendary Maze featuring Frankie Beverly was "Back To Basics" in 1993. They released ten albums in total with two of them being live recordings "Live in New Orleans" (1981) and "Live in L.A." (1986).

Maze were big favourites in the UK in the 80s for soul weekender goers with many of their tunes becoming weekender anthems "While I'm Alone",  "Silky Soul", "Somebody Else's Arms", "Golden Time Of The Day",  "Before I Let Go", "Joy & Pain" etc., so many great tunes, "Back In Stride", "We Are One", "Too Many Games", and I've still probably missed several!

GVB played "Love Is" from "Back To Basics" on his radio show today and listening to it it's hard to believe that it's almost 30 years old now as it still sounds fresh! Hearing it again prompted me to revisit the album and rather than just posting the single track the whole album is well worthy of another listen. 

Other highlights on the album include "The Morning After",  "What Goes Up", "In Time" and "Don't Wanna Lose Your Love". It also includes one of their 'surprise' club hits from 1985, "Twilight", which was played in clubs from the B side of "Too Many Games".

As an added bonus I've managed to find a full concert from the Hammersmith Odeon, London in 1995 which last 97 mins and features the following (including three tracks from "Back To Basics"):

01 Running Away

02 All Night Long

03 Can't Get Over You

04 Back In Stride

05 We Are One

06 The Morning After

07 You

08 Happy Feelings

09 Laid Back Girl

10 Joy and Pain

11 Before I Let Go

12 What Goes Up

13 Twilight.

Details

Rating:	8.6
Explicit:	N
Genre/Style:	Modern Soul
Format:	Album
Media:	Digital / CD
Label:	Warner Bros.
Cat No:	9 45297-2
Date:	1993
Value:	£8.91 / £13.91

George Benson [1993/1996] I'll Be Good To You / Marvin Said [Warner Bros]

If you like all kinds of soul music, especially underplayed and undiscovered gems, then I recommend that you tune in to Gary Van Den Bussche's  weekday radio show between 11:00-13:00 GMT on Starpoint radio as he always delivers some great and rarely heard tunes. 

Unfortunately, as his show is daily, he doesn't produce podcasts which is why I regularly cherry pick many of the gems he uncovers to feature on the blog so they can be heard if you didn't catch the show.

Here's two of three tracks played today on a section he terms the 'lunchtime sandwich' where he features three tracks from a chosen artist. Today it was the turn of George Benson. These two tracks are album only "I'll Be Good To You" (from "Love Remembers" 1993) (did get a 12" promo only release) and "Marvin Said" (from "That's Right" 1996)

Joey Diggs v Jody Watley [1992] - Your Love Keeps Working On Me

Yet another track from the BeBe Kids 1992 soundtrack but with a difference this time. Joey Diggs was on the compilation but Jody Watley (Shalamer) also released "Your Love Keeps Working On Me" the following year and had a minor hit with it #26 R&B / #100 Hot 100.

This song was also written by Billy Griffin and John Barnes along with another member, a founding member with Smokey Robinson of The Matadors and then, The Miracles, Ronald (Ronnie) White. Ronnie White is also credited with introducing Stevie Wonder to Motown. 

Curiously, the Jody Watley release credits Robert White which at first I thought was a linking error on Discogs but it actually states that name on the label, so who knows, but it's just about the only song he's credited for so perhaps a typo on the label? In fact looking closer it credits Griiffin, Robert White and Joey Diggs, so a bit of poetic licence perhaps?

Betty Wright [1993] - For Love Alone [Ms.B Records #4453]

A perhaps forgotten and overlooked track from Betty Wright's 1994 album "B-Attitudes". "For Love Alone" played today by Gary Van Den Bussche on his 'Lunchtime Sandwich' radio show on Starpoint Radio. He does have a tendency of unearthing some great forgotten tunes as well as playing up front releases. I believe that it was also released as a single in 1993 which may have been promo only CDS.

As it starts it sounds very like something Anita Baker could have recorded and, as Gary commented to me, early Anita Baker 'with attitude'!

If you're interested in learning more about Betty Wright I did a tribute feature for her last May (2020) just after she died and also a Full Discography.

Click icons below for further information or to connect with the artist.

Details

Rating:	8.8
Genre/Style:	Quiet Storm / Slow Jam / Deep Soul
Format:	Album Track / Single
Media:	CD
Label:	Ms.B Records
Cat No:	None
Date:	1993
Key/BPM:	2B/59
Value:	£10-£20 approx.

Gems For Jem [1993] - Time For Love / Even When You're Gone [E-Zee #EZY 1204]

Whilst we're waiting for some quality new releases to appear, I thought I'd post this great UK double-sider by Gems For Love which I was reminded of, coincidentally, twice last week from different sources.

Both tracks were written by Darren Pearce and Steven McCutcheon who is the son of producer and one of the founders of Shakatak, Les McCutcheon with Nigel Wright and Kev Roberts (a reknowned figure on the UK Northern Soul scene). The group's name is derived from Record Shack record store in London's Soho.

The  lead singer is Tracy Ackerman who was also one of the singers in the 'cheesy' group Enigma who recorded disco medleys in the early 80s (produced by Les McCutcheon). She also sang on many of the 80s Shakatak albums.

As far as I can tell, these two tracks were only released on a 12" single originally, although they have both appeared on a couple of compilation CDs since. 'Even When You're Gone' on 'Supreme Soul Vol 1' in 1997 and 'Time For Love' on 'Supreme Soul Vol. 2' in 1998 (which is where I have it from). They are both 4 CD sets, well worth picking up if you see them. They both seem to sell for around £15-£20 these days, which still isn't bad for 50 relatively obscure, mainly 90s, tracks on each. I'll have to dig the CDs out again and see if there are any more hidden 'gems' on them as it's many years since I've listened to it.

Most of Gems For Jem's (and Pearce/McCutcheon) other releases are house/techno/hardcore tunes. 'Even Though You're Gone was also released a year earlier on the flip of 'Inspiration'.

Click icons below for further information or to connect with the artist.

Details

Rating:	8.6
Genre/Style:	Modern Soul
Format:	Single
Media:	12"
Label:	E-Zee
Cat No:	EZY 1204
Year:	1993
Key/BPM:	5A/98 : 3A/97
Value:	£15-£20 (approx.)

Vernessa Mitchell [1992] - Be For Real [Expansion #EXPAND 30]

What a wonderful tune from gospel singer Vernessa Mitchell! .. and still very cheap as you can easily pick one of these up on 12" for a few quid.  Just proves that you don't have to spend a fortune on good tunes.

It was also released on her 1992 'Destiny' album and also featured on a 1993 Expansion compilation 'Friends In High Places'.

Click icons below for further information or to connect with the artist.

Details

Rating:	8.9
Genre/Style:	Modern Soul
Format:	Single
Media:	12"
Label:	Expansion
Cat No:	EXPAND 30
Year:	1993
Key:	9B
BPM:	112
Value:	£3

Chaka Khan & Idina Menzel [2021] - I'm Every Woman (IWD 2021)

It was International Women's Day last Monday which I celebrated with posts from some of the biggest female black music artists of the 20th century.  What I missed though was that Chaka Khan recorded a new version of her debut solo single 'I'm Every Woman' with Idina Menzel to commemorate the day.

I also found a 2021 rework by French DJ Kmell and a new release of a cover of it by Tinashe, so thought I'd bundle them all into a single post along with a few other noteworthy versions.

Chaka Khan & Idina Menzel [2021] - I'm Every Woman

I don't think it's commercially available.

SoulBounce article

Billboard article

Chaka Khan [2021] - I'm Every Woman (Kmell Rework 2021)

Tinashe Feat. TOKiMONSTA [2021] - I'm Every Woman (From 'Black History Always / Music For the Movement Vol. 2') [Hollywood]

Released 26 Feb 2021. More style over substance methinks!

Deborah Cox [2017] - I'm Every Woman [Broadway]

Aretha Franklin [2014] - I'm Every Woman / Respect [RCA #88875 03488 1]

'Probably' the ultimate 'womans's anthem' must be this medley of 'I'm Every Woman & Respect' by Aretha Franklin from her 2014 album 'Sings Great Diva Classics'.

Whitney Houston [1993] - I'm Every Woman [Arista #07822-12519-7]